Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-15

shaking the deck-hand in the next birth.
Rouse up, English. rouse up. hustle out
now. Want man on the lookout. Come
now, pile out !"
You go to - said English.
The man let him alone. He came to
Ben's bed.
Hello who's this? Pile out here,
young fellerl You'll do as we'll as any
body else Pile out now? Don't lay there
all night"
The boy was on his feet in a moment.
"What do you want me to do?" he
asked.
"Well, you are a sweet-scented speci-
men, YOU are" said the man eyeing the
| boy disdainfulIy "Come on with me !
Pll soon show you what you've got to
do, you tow-colored tramp you. Where
the devil did you come from, anyway? ?"
The deck -hand known as English, looked
over the side of his bunk.
Look here, Bill Howe he grumbled,
do YOU mean fer to say you're going ter
| put that there kid out on the front%
81 mean to say Pm going to do just what
blame please" said Bill.
self, you white-livered puppy" said the
Will L III pTtllN
tough man myself, but d me if Pm
| going to see such an outrage as that. You
go on back to bed, sonny I'll take your
place"
"Naw, YOU don't, neither" retorted Bill
"You wouldn't come when l called you,
and I'm Captain of the gang, and what l say
goes, and don't you forget it." and before
English could Interfere he had caught the
boy rudely by the arm and pushed him
from the cabin.
"Kid'll be back inside O ten minutes"
| reflected English, when he was through
cursing Bill Howe and then he dozed off
to sleep again.
1t was terribly cold on deck. The boy
shivered as the man led HIM over the long
line of barges. Finally they reached the
last barge in front of the steamer. There
was torch burning in an iron frame. The
man told the boy he must keep sharp
lookout ahead, and when he saw danger
Gus drift coming toward them, he must
signal the pilot by waving light.
-"All ri-right, sir" chartered the boy,
and the man swore at him two or three
times and went back to the steamer.
Il must try and stand it," he kept re-
peating to himself, and presently he took
from his ragged jacket little box, and
opened it. 1t contained a cheap black
breastpin. He had spent his last cent in
Christmas gift for his mother. He looked
at it and it seemed to warm him. The
cold didn't hurt him any more. A pleas
ant, dreamy sensation was stealing over
him. He thought he would lie down with
his head on his arm; he could watch the
river Just as we'll And then-no, he
could not be dreaming some curious
magic he was at home and his mother was
with him. How we'll he remembered the
bright, cosy little room! And there were
his books and his music, Just as he had left
them, and on the table by the window
bouquet of pretty flowers. 1t must be sum-
mer time because the window was open
and the warm air and glorious sunshine
were dancing in the room. And how
pretty his mother was as she took him in
her arms and bent and kissed him. And
he nestled his head in her bosom, and he
felt her warm breath on his cheek, and
laughed with gladness.
40, how l love you, pretty mother"
murmured happy little Ben, and he was
going to tell her about the tug, and the
Captain, and the strange forms on the
river, but it slipped from him and he for
got it. He forgot everything.
The deckhand known as g English"
woke from sound Sleep and instantly
why, he could not say-he thought of the
boy. Not finding him in his cot, he hast
lily put on great shaggy overcoat and
went forward to relieve him from the
watch. He found little Ben lying with
his head on his arm, smile was on his
lips, and in his hand he held his mothers
gift, but his face was colorless as snow, and
life had ceased to beat in his heart. Eng
fish bent over him long time. Then he
stood up, and, perhaps unconsciously, took
off his hat.
"Hes dead" said English, in strange
soft whisper.-Aaanta Constitution